From Drake's dominance to Adele's return, Tame Impala's blissful psych to Kendrick Lamar's politically charged hip-hop, 2015 marked another diverse and strong year for music. These are our picks for the best songs of the year.

Presenting our favorite songs of the year: from the chaos of Perfect Pussy to the smoothness of Rhye, from Los Angeles' Haim to New York's Vampire Weekend, from Disclosure's modern house to Daft Punk's disco symphonies, and more.

Championed by big thinkers including Prince, OutKast, and even George Lucas, Janelle Monáe is looking to expand the idea of what R&B can be-- but first she needs to find a way outside of her own head. By Carrie Battan; photos by Glenford Nunez.